A Second Chance
by eureka
Summary: Qui-Gon searches for his padawan


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A Second Chance

By Jayne Hundt

[jayne_hundt@yahoo.com][1]

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© 2000

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Title: A Second Chance; Part One   
Author: Jayne Hundt jayne_hundt@yahoo.com   
Series: Riding the Wheel of If   
Rating: PG-13   
Category: AU   
Archive: Yes, if the disclaimers remain intact   
Disclaimer one: 'Star Wars' is the creation of George Lucas, and is the property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. No profit was, or will be made from this story. Infringements upon copyright and trademark laws are unintentional. 

Disclaimer two: 'Riding the Wheel of If' is a story arc created by Terri Hamill. The complete story, and more of Terri's writing can be found At: http://homes.arealcity.com/HiddenRealm/mm/mm.html   
Summery: A Jedi's journey between realties continues...

***

Air decompressed, causing a bang to echo throughout the empty garden. Before the sound had a chance to dissipate, a Jedi appeared, as if materializing out of thin air. Everything went quiet shortly thereafter, as if nothing had happened. 

Thumbing off the 'saber, the traveler took a look around. Everything seemed as it should: The lawn was neatly cut. Shrubbery and trees were placed as he remembered. Even the Khimm Tree he had planted years ago remained the same. It even held the birdhouse he hung in it not too long ago. Air-cars and ships flew in the sky, just as they would back home. 

Ruthlessly, he pushed back a surge of hope. He dared not hope that this reality be the one. For hope often brought disappointment. 

It was early, not long after sunrise. Most everybody was getting out of bed or preparing breakfast. He had planned it this way. There was less of a chance of being seen and causing an incident. 

First he stashed his knapsack in an old storage unit. Then he clipped the unique saber to his belt at the small of his back. It would be hidden, yet within quick reach if needed. Pulling the hood of his cloak up to hide his face, Qui-Gon Jinn walked towards the garden's exit, to Master Yoda's apartment. 

***

Yoda was an early riser so Qui-Gon didn't fear waking him. The door opened shortly after he rung the bell. Yoda's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized his visitor. 

"Tell me who you are, you will," Yoda said, motioning for Qui-Gon to enter. Sit." 

Yoda's rooms were just as he remembered. Everything about the temple seemed as it should. It was becoming difficult to fight back the hope. 

Yoda shuffled in to the room and seated himself on a chair. Qui-Gon Knelt down before him, as if he were still a padawan. "I am Qui-Gon Jinn, my master." 

Yoda's ears laid back in a mixture of shock and disbelief. "Dead Qui-Gon is." 

"I am not the Qui-Gon of this reality, of this dimension." Qui-Gon studied his master closely. Opening portions of his mind, he allowed Yoda to sense the truth of his words. "I have been traveling between realties for several months now." 

Qui-Gon felt the familiar presence enter his mind through the old training link. "You told me once that it was a world of 'if,' that 'if' ruled all," Qui-Gon said, thinking of the third reality he had visited. That Yoda had pointed to the Khimm tree and used it to compare the many realities. "If a tree died, the world would be different than if the tree had lived." 

"Reality is not, relative, reality is, relative to every thing that happens," the old master said, echoing words Qui-Gon heard many times. Yoda paused before continuing, considering his next words. "Much pain I sense in you. Lost much you have. Searching for something you are."

Qui-Gon nodded. He took a deep breath and forced his heart to slow. Convincing Yoda of the truth of was always the easy part. The next part, the question he had to ask was always the hardest, for he feared the answer. This time however, he didn't have to ask. 

"Searching for a home you are." Yoda said. "Search for Obi-Wan you do." 

"Yes, my Master," Qui-Gon answered. Yoda knew him well. He opened his mouth to ask about his padawan, but Yoda spoke before he. 

"Gone Obi-Wan is." 

It took a second or two for the full impact of those words to hit. Yoda said his padawan was gone. Not dead, but gone. For the first time in over a month, he allowed himself to feel a glimmer of hope. "Where is he?" 

"This I do not know," Yoda answered sadly. "Left three months ago he did. Last to see him Mace was. 

"What do you mean he left?" Qui-Gon asked, hope being replaced by disappointment. His heart felt like it was sinking. Did he travel all this way, finally found the correct reality, only to find that his Obi-Wan had disappeared? It was a big galaxy. If Obi-Wan didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be. 

"Call Mace I will. Tell us both the whole story you will. Answers we both will have."

***

As expected, Mace Windu eyes widened with shock upon recognizing Yoda's visitor. For a moment he stared uneasily at Qui-Gon before turning to Yoda for an explanation. 

"Qui-Gon he is. Clone this is not." 

"How is this possible?" Mace Windu asked. "Qui-Gon is--" The councilor couldn't finish the argument, stopped by a flood of emotions. 

"--Dead," Qui-Gon finished for him. "If I understand Master Yoda correctly, I died on Naboo three months ago." He paused thoughtfully before asking a question. "Was he was killed by a Sith Lord? A tattooed Zabrackian?" 

Numbly, Mace nodded. This person, whoever he was, shouldn't have known that. It was classified information. "How--" 

"I was there," Qui-Gon said. "But not in this reality, not in this dimension. Here it was me who died and Obi-Wan who lives." 

Mace was still skeptical. 

Qui-Gon opened his mind for a second time that day. He showed Mace and Yoda the images that haunted him every time he closed his eyes: The battle with a red and black figure. The smell of burnt flesh as the Sith's lightsaber sliced his student's body in half. The sound of his own scream as he sliced the Sith down. The smoke and orange flames of Obi-Wan's pyre. The feeling of numbed-emptiness as Anakin took his place at his side, where Obi-Wan belonged. 

Qui-Gon blinked back tears. "Obi-Wan died believing I had shoved him aside, that I no longer wanted him. Our last words were spoken in anger and hurt. I never got the chance to tell him many things." 

Yoda touched Qui-Gon's arm in an offer of strength and support. He felt his old student attempt to push back his emotions. "Let emotions out, Qui-Gon. Release them to the Force. Comfort you, the Force will if you let it." 

Not for the first time since he starting this journey, Qui-Gon wept in the arms of his former master. 

***

"It started with Obi-Wan's lightsaber," Qui-Gon answered as he wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his tunic. His voice was calm, a sharp contrast with his emotions. "Mine was destroyed by the Sith. I had been using Obi-Wan's for several weeks and decided it was time to build a new one." 

"I tested it in the weapons room," Qui-Gon continued. "I hit the activation switch then found myself in another reality." 

Mace felt his scalp prickle. Both he and Yoda exchanged looks. In that instant, Qui-Gon knew there was something they were not telling him. 

"I know it sounds farfetched," Qui-Gon said, misinterpreting the silent exchange. "But it's the truth." 

"See the weapon, may I?" 

Qui-Gon pulled it out from its hiding spot and gave it to Yoda. 

"Which of the crystals used you?" 

"Deranium sapphires," he answered, getting impatient. He had answered all of their questions. Now it was time to ask his own. He turned to Mace. "Where is Obi-Wan?" 

Mace and Yoda exchanged another look, silently debating on how much to tell. Finally, Windu spoke. 

"Several months ago, Knight Kenobi vanished from the weapons room while constructing a new lightsaber. I had gone down there to speak with him. After, I went to have a word with the Master of Arms. We heard what sounded like a muffled explosion. We went to investigate and found that Obi-Wan had vanished." 

Numb shock spread throughout Qui-Gon's body. After months of searching he found a home, only to find that his Obi-Wan was gone. Not dead, but wondering between dimensions just as he. Was Obi-Wan searching for him? Or was he simply following the will of the Force? 

"He took your death hard. We all did," Mace said. "He changed, the spark of life within him died with you. The only thing that kept him going was his promise to train Anakin." 

The words cut through Qui-Gon like a knife. 

"A promise of him you asked. Your last words to him they were." Yoda's voice was solemn and full of rebuke. "Foolish you were. Foolish you both were. Foolish to hinder love it is. Together love would have brought you, together defeated Sith you would have. Stronger love would have made you." 

"A second chance you have. A chance for amends you both have. A rare gift this is." The rebuke left Yoda's voice. He handed the 'saber back to Qui-Gon. "Beware. A high price gifts often come." 

***

The three Jedi Masters stood in the corner of one of the temple's gardens. One was hidden beneath a cowl. The other two had their hoods thrown back. All were solemn. 

The sun was low in the east, as it was just past dawn. As usual, the gardens were empty this time of day. 

The three had spoken all day yesterday and late into the night. They discussed everything from Anakin's training to Palpatine's involvement with the Sith. 

It was now time for Qui-Gon to leave. 

"Something else we have for you," Yoda said. 

Mace fished it out of a pocket and gave it to Qui-Gon. "Take care of yourself, my friend." 

"I will Mace. Thank you," Qui-Gon said as he accepted the gift. He recognized it immediately, for it used to sit on the night-stand beside his bed. It was a small framed holograph of he and Obi-Wan. 

The picture had been taken about six years ago. Both stood in front of one of the temple's fountains, arms draped around each other in casual camaraderie.

The picture was identical to the one he remembered in all ways but one: There was a scar on Obi-Wan's cheek. It was a small reminder that the Obi-Wan in the picture was a different person. *His* Obi-Wan was dead. Nothing could change that. Not even the second chance the Force has granted him. 

Qui-Gon reverently tucked it into an inner pocket of his tunic. He then knelt down into the lotus position, the 'saber ready in his hands. 

"I wish you could stay. We need you here. Anakin needs you," Mace Windu said.

"Somewhere, there's an Obi-Wan who needs me," Qui-Gon answered. He shouldered his knapsack, which now contained two bottles of root beer as a gift to Obi-Wan when he found him. Both Mace and Yoda assured him that it was Obi-Wan's favorite. Or at least the Obi-Wan of this reality's favorite. 

The last thing Qui-Gon heard before activating the saber was Yoda's voice, telling him that the Force would be with him, always. 

The End; Part One 

   [1]: mailto:Jayne_hundt@yahoo.com



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